Secretary (OA)

The Primary Purpose of the Position is to serve as administrative/clerical support to the Chief/Assistant Chief, MAS and perform other duties pertinent to the efficient management of the MAS office and four distinct MAS Sections. Incumbent coordinates prioritization of work with the Chief/Assistant Chief, and Section Chiefs. The Organizational Location of the Position is Office of the Chief, Medical Administration Service (MAS), VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, TX.

Duties but not limited to: Serves as Secretary to the Chief, Medical Administration Service (MAS) and other staff as assigned. Incumbent also serves as receptionist for visitors and employees who enter the MAS suite. In addition, performs other duties pertinent to the efficient management of the Office of the Chief, MAS. Investigates and processes tort claims in the amount of $2500 or less for all of VA North Texas Health Care system. Serves as the primary person to enter 2247's for all of VA North Texas Health Care System. Receives and screens telephone calls to the Chief/Assistant Chief, MAS from the general public, local, civic, state and federal officials; other hospital officials, service organizations, congressional staff officials; Central Office personnel, regional offices and etc. Handles many requests for information and resolves or assists in resolving a variety of complaints or requests made by patients and/or their family members. Arranges conferences, meetings and/or appointments with individuals and/or groups (within and outside the Medical Center) at the request of the Chief, coordinating time and place. Secures necessary material and equipment as appropriate to be used at meetings or conferences and sometimes attends such conferences to compose detailed or summary of accounts. Also maintains calendars, recording such activities, keeping the Chief/Assistant Chief informed, and scheduling events to avoid conflicts. Receives and reads incoming mail, determining proper action, routing mail to appropriate sections for action as indicated and follows up to see that deadlines are met, and prepares replies on matters that do not require the personal attention of the Chief/Assistant Chief. Reviews all outgoing correspondence, reports, minutes, etc. for proper format, corrects grammatical content, spelling, proper enclosures and complete coordination, and ensures content is in accordance with established policies. Rewrites letters that are poorly composed before referring to appropriate staff member. Serves as liaison between the Assistant Chief, MAS, his subordinate staff and services in terms of receiving, relaying and passing· information on non-technical issue and/or policy. Instructs and assists secretaries/program clerks under auspices of the Chief, MAS, on preparation of correspondence, minutes, reports and other procedural matters. Makes hotel reservations, prepares appropriate training and/or travel forms, and coordinates with travel clerk in completing airline arrangements. Serves as the primary timekeeper for employees supervised by the Chief/Assistant Chief, MAS. Serves as the backup timekeeper to all MAS T&L's. The position involves diverse activities, strict deadlines, dealing with highly confidential materials and interfacing with the Executive Leadership of the Medical Center, Veterans Service Organizations, Service Chiefs, vendors, bereaved family members, local city/state officials, patients and their families, and members of the community at large. Knowledge of DHCPNISTA, CPRS and a variety of software programs (e.g. word, power point, excel, access, etc). Skill in creating statistical charts and graphs for reports. Maintains the VA North Texas Health Care System Medical Administration Service staffing statistical database (Le. turn-over, vacancy rates, etc). Prepares data for Human Resources for job announcements and recruitment to fill vacancies with in the service. Knowledge of VHA organizational structure, mission, policy, and services offered, and/of all the functions of Medical Administration Service to enable the incumbent to screen requests for information. Provide authorized information from files and records or advise on established procedures, and refer non-routine requests to appropriate staff members. The incumbent works under the technical/management supervision of the Chief, MAS. Works independently following established policies/guidelines and additional duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am to 4:00pm. Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Secretary (OA)/PD084630 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.